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Australia Dominates England in Women`s Ashes Opener

Australia secured a commanding victory over England in the first ODI of the Women's Ashes series at North Sydney Oval on January 12, 2025. Winning the toss, Australia opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off as they restricted England to a subpar total. England's innings was marred by a series of soft dismissals, with notable contributions from Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt, both of whom fell to the bowling of Ashleigh Gardner.

Gardner's performance was pivotal, as she claimed crucial wickets, including those of Knight and Sciver-Brunt, both caught sweeping to Ellyse Perry at deep midwicket. Despite the efforts of England's batters, the total set was insufficient for a competitive match.

In response, Australia chased down the target with relative ease. Ashleigh Gardner, despite dealing with an elbow issue, remained unbeaten on 42 and partnered with Alana King to secure the win with 11.1 overs to spare. Both Gardner and King also excelled with the ball, taking 3 for 19 and 2 for 35, respectively. The Australian seamers, Kim Garth and Megan Schutt, played a crucial role in containing England's scoring early on, contributing significantly to the overall bowling effort.

Alyssa Healy made a notable return from a knee injury, scoring 70 runs off 78 balls and taking on wicketkeeping duties for the first time since mid-November. The match attracted a record crowd for a women's international at North Sydney Oval, with 6,236 attendees witnessing the action. This victory gives Australia an early lead in the series, which consists of three ODIs, three T20Is, and a day-night Test at the MCG starting January 30.

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